Article of hosiery, including terry fabric



y 1943- P. L. THURSTON 2,318,643

'ARTICLE OF HOSIERY INCLUDING-TERRY FABRIC Filed Jan. 17, 1942 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY y 1943- P. THURSTON 2,318,643

ARTICLE OF HOSIERY INCLUDING TERRY FABRIC Filed Jan. 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVEN OR I ARTICLE OF HOSIERY INCLUDING TERRY FABRIC Filed Jan. 17, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 11, 1M3. P. 1... THURSTON 2,313,643 I May 11, 1943. P. 1.. THURSTON 8,

ARTICLE OF HOSIERY IIICLUDI'IIIG TERRY FABRIC Filed Jan. '17, 1942 4 sheet -sheet 4 a i I w V Patented May 1 1 l, 1943 ARTICLE OF HOSIEBY, INCLUDING TERRY FABRIC Paul L. Thurston, Martinsburg, W. Va, assignor to Interwoven Stocking Company, New Brunswick,

' N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 17, 1942, Serial No. 427,124

7 Claims. (Cl. 6&-1'l8) My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate oneembodiment of the same, selected by me for purposes of illustration, and the said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

My invention relates to the manufacture of hosiery having certain portions thereofformed of terry fabric. For example, the heel, sole and toeof a sock may be formed of terry fabric to provide greater softness and resilience. The terry portion is produced by feeding two threads to the needles of a knitting machine and drawing longer loops of one thread than the other so that the long loops hereinafter referred to as terry loops protrude on one surface of the fabric and provide a soft cushioning effect. For example, the machine may be provided with sinkers having shoulders at different levels, the main knitting thread being drawn over a lower shoulder, and the terry thread over a higher shoulder, whereby the sinker loops of the terry thread are longer than those of the main knitting thread and form the projecting loops of the terry fabric. The terry loops may or may not be combed or brushed so as to separate the exterior fibers and commingle them in a soft matted condition on .the su-face of the sock, anklet or stocking to provide the soft or cushioning effect desired.

the upper end of which is available for the provision of mechanism for forming terry loops.

However, to produce rib knit fabric by which is meant fabric composed of a combination of inwardly facing stitches and outwardly facing stitches arranged either in vertical rib or otherwise, it is necessary to provide two separate series of needles with one series arranged, for example, around a vertical cylinder, and the other series arranged on a dial or second cylinder positioned immediately abovethe first mentioned cylinder.

In either event, the second series of needles for making the inwardly facing stitches occupies space that would otherwise be available for the terry mechanism. Moreover, if it is desired to only part of the length of the sock and only part way around its circumference, as for example,

a sock having leg and instep portions formed of rib knit fabric and a sole portion of terry fabric, the needles that produce the terry fabric must at other times produce rib knit fabric and during the knitting of the terry portion the machine must produce both rib knitting and terry fabric. Thus, in order to produce a sock having rib knit leg and instep portions and a t'erry sole, it is' necessary during the knitting of the foot to produce simultaneously both the terry fabric of the sole and the rib knit fabric ofthe instep, while during the knitting of the leg, all of the needles including those which produce the terry fabric of the sole must produce rib knit fabric. Hence the production of a. sock formed partly of rib knitting and partly of terry fabric presents problems and obstacles not encountered in plain knitting.

Arrobjectof the present invention is to provide an article of hosiery having a portion formed of rib knit fabric and an integral portion formed of terry fabric.- In the sock shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the leg portion and instep portion, i. e., the top of the foot, are formed of rib knitting, while the high splice, heel, sole and toe are provided with terry loops'forming a cushion fabric.

Another object of the invention is to increase the softness of the terry portion of the fabric by forming it with longer stitch loops than the remaining fabric. The softness and body of. the terry fabric are still further increased in accordance with the present invention by providing terry loops at consecutive wales of consecutive courses of the terry portion,the terry thread being thus united to the fabric at each wale of said courses. As rib knit socks are customarily worn when greater warmth or softness is desired,

the soft, thick cushion sole obtained in accord-,

ance with the present invention represents an important advance in the art over the thinner, non-cushion soles with which rib knit socks have heretofore been provided.

. Inproducing socks on a circular knitting ma v chine, the heel and toe are knit by reciprocation of t1 needle cylinder, while the high splice and sole may be knit either by continuous rotation of the needle cylinder in one direction orby reciprocation as in split foot socks. It hasbeen found difficult in reciprocating work as at the toes and heels to form terry 'loops during the provide the sock with a terry portion extending 5:;

reverse reciprocations of the needle cylinder of the knitting machine, and it has been customary.

therefore to knit the terry loops only in the alternate courses of the heel and toe during which the needle cylinder is moving in the same direction that it moves during circular work. This of course results in the formation of fewer cushioning loops in the heels and toes where the greatest wear comes and where such cushioning is particularly needed. It is an object of 'my invention to provide terry loops in consecutive courses throughout terry portions produced by reciprocating knitting such as the heel and toe as well as in other terry portions.

Hosiery formed wholly or in part of terry fabric has heretofore been made largely, if not entirely, for athletic use, and has been formed as a more or less coarse fabric. According to my invention it is possible to produce the soft cushioning effect at the parts of the sock or stocking desired, and at the same time to knit the fabric of higher class and finer yarn so as to produce hosiery which may be worn for normal purposes where a soft surface or cushioning effect or a sock of greater warmth is desired.

In the maufacture of the terry portions or the fabric, it has heretofore been customary to feed the main knitting thread and the terry-thread, i. e., the thread that is to form the terry loops at the same feeding station and to provide the sinkers with portions adapted to pass between the two threads so that the main knitting thread is drawn over a shoulder at a lower level to form the stitch loops and the terry thread is drawn over a shoulder at a higher level to form the longer terry loops. It will be obvious that the movement of this dividing portion of the sinker betweenthe two threads fed at the same points requires rapid radial movement of the sinker and that the slightest variation in the relative position of the threads with respect to the sinkers due toslight variation in tension, vibration of'the threador otherwise will result in the failureoi a sinker to properly engage andsupport the separate threads, thereby: producing considerable number of seconds are produced even with fairly coarse knitting and terry threads, and this difficulty would be-aggravated in knitting withfiner threads and with larger numbers of needles and finer needles. The production of this type of hosiery has therefore been practically limited to the more-or less coarse fabric used mainly for athletic purposes.

, In accordance with my invention, it is .possible to produceterry fabric hosieryof higher class yarns on finer gauge machines. This is accomplished by feeding the main knitting thread and the terry thread at two different feeding stations. The main knitting thread fed at the first feeding station is drawn down onto the lower shoulder of the sinkers and held by the sinkers for the radial movement of the sinkers to position the higher shoulder to receive the terry thread after the main thread has been drawn down to the lower shoulder of the sinkers. This results in an easier operation of the sinker actuating cam and insures the eflicient and ac- .curate operation of the sinkers in producing the fabric stitches and the terry loops even with the use of finer grades of thread both as to quality and diameter and the use of finer and more numerous needles in the knitting machine.

According tomy present invention therefore, I am able to produce the terry effect in the high splice above the heel in every course of the heel and toe throughout thevsole of the stocking, and throughout a circular portion at the end of the foot of the stocking adjacent the toe which is ordinarily termed the toe band. I am also able to form the leg and instep portions of the stockwithout casting ofl the previously drawn stitches,

while the needles are raised at the second feeding station to receive the terry thread. The

ing of rib knitting and of'relatively fine thread. A further advantage of the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings is that the instep portion of the stocking is knit of the main knitting thread alone, the terry thread being cut and bound in each course, thereby conserving the amount of terry thread required and making the stockings more economical to produce.

The nature and advantages of my invention and the manner in which it may be carried out will appear more fully from the following of an embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sock in accordance with my invention, portions of the foot being broken away to show the terry loops 'on the inner face portions thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of portions of a knitting machine having superposed coaxial needle -cy1inders constructed and arranged for carrying out my invention, portions of the apparatusbeing removed and the thread feed fingers being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower cylinder of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2 showing the means for operating the switch cam and terry thread feed fingers.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown for operating the switch cams and terry thread feed fingers.

Fig. 5 isan elevation of the inner face of the 'cam block carrying the main and auxiliary knitting cams drawn to an enlargedscale.

Fig. 6, represents a partial sectional view of the lower cylinder of the machine showing the sinker mechanism.

Fig. I is a detailed view of one of the needles and the slider therefor located in the lower cylinder.

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing the partial development of the sinker operating cam shownin Fig.8.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detailed view of one of the the needles for producing the high splice and sole.

Fig. 12 a detailed view'showing one 'of the and one of the sinkers in position to cooperate with the needle in drawing a loop over the main shoulder of the sinker.

Fig. 13 is a similar,view showing the needle after it has drawn the loop of body thread over the main shoulder of the sinker without casting off the previous stitch.

Fig. 14 is a similar view showing the needle raised by the auxiliary elevating cam to receive the loop of terry thread and the sinker moved into position to bring the higher auxiliary shoulder adjacent the needle.

Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the needle drawn down to cast off the previous stitch" and holding the separate loops of main thread and terry thread.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the trated in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of a section of fabric showing the stitch structure of the rib knit instep and the integral terry fabric sole portion.

' In accordance with my invention there is provided an article of hosiery formed-in part of rib knit fabric and in part of terry fabric, the terry section extending only part way around the cirparts illuscumference of a tubular seamless portion of the article so that certain courses are each formed partly of terry and partly of rib knitting. In Fig. 1 there is shown by way of example a men's sock embodying the invention. In this figure, 30 represents the top of the stocking, 3| the leg, 32 the instep; 33 the high splice above the heel, 34 the heel, 35 the sole, the toe band, 31 the toe plain knit fabric by the provision of the terry loops t which gives the fabric both a distinctive appearance and soft cushion-like characteristics. A

The high splice 33, heel 34, toe band 33 and toe 31, are likewishe formed of terry fabric. The high splice is formed by circular knitting in the 'same manner as the sole, the terry fabric extending only part way around the tubular seamless fabric section and the front portion of the section being formed of rib knitting. The heel and toe are formed by reciprocatory knitting, one course of the fabric being knit with the needle cylinder rotating in one direction and the succeeding course being knit in the opposite direction. As hereinbefore described, the terry thread t, as well as the main knitting thread m, is fed during both directions of rotation so that in the heel and toe, as in the high splice and sole, the terry loops t' are formed in consecutive wales of consecutive courses,-providing a thick, uniform terry fabric. In the integral toe band 36, the terry fabric extends completely around the tubular section. Thus the wales extending down tlve top of the foot'are formed of rib knitting for part of their length and of terry fabric the reand 38 the looped Joining of the upper portion of the foot with the toe. The top 30 may be formed of plain knit fabric with or without the insertion of an elastic thread, or the top may be knit at 1 x 1, 2 x 2 or other rib with or without an elastic thread as .desired. The leg portion 3L and the instep portion 32 are formed of rib knit fabric. The stitch structure of a portion ofthe instep 32 and the adjacent portion of the integral sole is illustrated in Fig. 17. It will be seen that the instep portion shown at the left hand side of the figure is composed of a combination of inwardly facing stitches i, and out-,

' wardly facing stitches 0. While the fabric is shown as having vertical ribs composed of groups of six'outwardly facing stitches alternating with three inwardly facing stitches, it will be understood that the leg and instep may be formed of p any desired combination of inwardly facing stitches and outwardly facing'stitches. The sole portion 35 knit integrally and simultaneously with the instep is formed of terry fabric. As

shown at the right hand end of Fig. 17, the sole' portions is composed of a main knitting thread 111., knit to form the base of the fabric, and a terry thread t, knit in plating relation with the main thread 112, but having longer sinker loops forming terry loops t' on the inner face of the fabric. It will be seen that the terry-loops t.

occur at consecutive wales in consecutive courses throughout the terry portion and that the terry thread is securely united to the fabric so that it will not pull out. In the example illustrated in the drawings, the terry portion is shown as being plain knit fabric, i.'e., all of the stitches are drawn in the same direction as distinguished from rib knit fabric in which certain stitchesface outwardly and other stitches face inwardly.

mainder of their length.

In carrying my invention into effect, I may employ a knitting machine capable of producing superimposed coaxial knitting cylinders are provided with needles having hooks at both ends, suitable transfer mechanism being also provided for shifting the needles from one cylinder to the other ina well known way, whereby all of the needles may be assembled in the lower cylinder for the production of circular plain knitting, or

alternate needles or groups'of needles may be transferred from the lower cylinder to the upper cylinder during the knittingof an entire circular course or a portion thereof, as preferred. Such a machine is the Komet machine, manufactured by the Bentley Engineering Company of Leicester, England, and I have shown my invention carried into effect by a Komet machine, in connection with certain additions thereto and changes therein, which are described and claimed in my Letters Patent No. 2,231,899.

Referring to Fig. 2, i represents the lower cylinder of a Komet machine, modified as hereinafter described, and 2 the upper cylinder, it.

being understood that the cylinders are each provided with sliders, one of which is indicated at 3 in Figs. 6 and 7 and with a circular series of needles I, in this instance having hooks and latches at each end in the manner usual in Komet machines and adapted to be transferred in the usual manner' from the sliders of one cylinder to those of the other, under the control of the usual pattern mechanism. The needles have associatedtherewith knitting butts toengage the knitting cam mechanism hereinafter described, the knitting butts for the needles which knit the heel and toe pockets by reciprocating work and narrowing and widening being short butts, indicated at 3a in Fig. 6, and the knitting butts for remaining needles being long butts, indicated at 31: in said figure. Where my invention is carried out by the use of a machine However, the terry fabric difiers from ordinary.

of the Komet type having double ended needles, the knitting butts 3a, 3b will be provided on the sliders for the needles, one of which is shown in Fig. 7, and the sliders for the needles which are to be transferred from the lower cylinder sliders of one cylinder'to the sliders of the other f cylinder under the control of suitable pattern mechanism. I have not herein particularly illustrated the duties of this transfer mechanism as it is well known. The transfer cams of both cylinders are ordinarily mounted on radial plungers so that the transfer cams may be moved into and out, of operative relation with the butts of the sliders of both the upper and lower cylindersas desired. In Fig. 2, the operating plungera for the transfer cams of the upper. cylinder are indicated at 2a, 2b, and in Fig. 3 the plunger operatlvely connected with the transfer cam of the lower cylinder isindicated at la. The operation of these cams is as usual in the Komet machine.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a form of cam block for the lower knitting cylinder. entirety is indicated at 5 and is shown as it would appear if straightened out in a single plane. The cam block is provided with main knitting cam mechanism comprising the centrally located draw down earn 8, having the drawdowncam grades a, disposed oppositely for reciprocating work, and cooperating with the additional'draw down cam I, having draw-down cam grades la, la, cooperating with the grades 8a, 8a, to produce a main knitting wave in either direction of the cylinder. Each of the cams 'l is cut, away, as shown, to receive an auxiliary elevating cam 8 provided with an elevating cam grade la, and an auxiliary draw down cam grade I is provided beyond each of the auxiliary elevating cams 8, formed in this instance integral with the additional cam I, although this is not essential. Obviously the auxiliary draw down cam grades 9 will each produce a secondary knitting wave. The lowest point of the,additional draw-down cams 1 will draw the needles down to a point (see Fig. 13) in which they-will draw a *stitch of the mainthread, but will not cast ofl the stitch or stitches 0f the preceding course,

The block in its.

the front of the leg and instep portions. when the switch cams are in their inoperative or outermost positions they will not come in contact, with any of the knitting butts. By moving them to an intermediate position, they will engage the long butts and force the needles controlled thereby to pass downward below the auxiliary riser cams I, thus completing the casting off of the previously formed stitch, as will be readily understood with reference to Fig. 5, while the short butts will engage the auxiliary elevating cam I and be raised into operative position to receive understood. Obviously when the cylinder is being while theauxiliary draw down cam grades 9' terminate at points sumciently lower than the ends of the cams l to cast off the previously held stitch or stitches (see Fig. 15).

in conjunction with each of the auxiliary cam mechanisms there is'provided a switch cam indicated at l0, l0, movable radially through slots in the cam block I and extending from the up per end of the draw down cam grade In to the rotated in one direction only, only one of the auxiliary elevating cams and its adjacent switch cam will be operative. I provide automatic means for operating the switch cams, which consists in this instance of a rocking lever l2, mounted on a stud I! supported from the main frame and provided at its opposite ends with arms I2a, lid, to engage one or other of the plungers I I and pushinthe corresponding switch cam to the required extent, according to the work to be accomplished. The rocking lever I2 is provided with an actuating arm l4 operatively connected, as by link Ha, with mechanism under the control of the pattern mechanism of the machine (not herein shown) the operation of which will be clearly understood.

The main knitting thread is fed by means of a centrally located stationary thread feeding finger I, to the needles previous to or during the main knitting wave, and the terry thread is fed from separate spools by one or other of two auxiliary thread feeding fingers II and. I1 according-to the direction in which the cylinder is rotating, the construction being such that down by the adjacent auxiliary draw down cam mounted. in bearings in the cam block, in a well known way, and provided in this instance with springs Ha, normally holding the switchfcams in their outermost or inoperative positions The sliders in the lower cylinder (or the shanks of the needles in an ordinary stocking knitter) are provided, as usual. with long and short butts, the needles operated by the short butts knitting the rear half of the leg of the stocking, including the high splice above the heel, the heels and toes, and the sole of the foot, the remaining needles operated by the long butt knittin 9 which produces the secondary knitting wave. The auxiliary thread feed fingers l8 and I! are conveniently secured to or formed integral with a rocking lever I. also mounted on the stud i3 and provided with anactuating arm I! which is connected, as by link l9a, with suitable op erating devices under the control of the pattern mechanism of the machine (not shown).

In conjunction with the needle actuating mechanism above described, I provide radially movablysinkers 20, which in the Komet machine are formed, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 9. Each of these sinkers is provided in. this instance with a curved bodyportion 2! having an actuating butt 22 to engage a cam groove 23 in a sinker actuating cam 24, in this instance located within the cylinder I, so that the upper end of the sinker a,s1a,e4s

carried out substantially as follows. The top so of the main knitting thread is drawn, and above this shoulder the sinkenis provided with an inwardly extending projection 26 having its upper may be knit 'by plain knitting with all the needles in the lower cylinder of the Komet machine and with or without the insertion of an elastic thread, or the top may be knit of l x l, 2 x 2 or other rib, by transferring the necessary alternate needles or alternate groups of needles to the surface concave, or inwardly curved, as indicated at 21, forming an auxiliary shoulder to receive the terry thread, and providing a slot 28 between the projection 26 and the normal shoulder 25. a

The formation of the terry fabric at the desired portions of the stocking is'best illustrated in Figs. to 17. Assuming that the cylinder is being rotated continuously in the same direction as it would be in knitting circular work, and that the parts of the machine are constructed and operating substantially as previously described, and

assuming that there is a stitch on each of the needles, which may be,.for example, a stitch of the preceding course of sock, anklet or stocking, each of the needles will receive the main knitting thread m in its hook from the main thread feed finger l5 atthe top of the main knitting wave, which is indicated at W in Fig. 10, the sinkers being in their outermost positions, all as indicated in 12. All of the needles will be drawn down by one of the main draw down cam grades 6a, the one at the right of the center in Fig. 5, in which the direction of rotation of the cylinder is indicated by'the arrow A. Let it be also assumed a .that the switch cam III at the left of the center of the cam mechanism is in its intermediate position, that is to say in position to engage only the long butts of the sliders or needles. As the needle butts, all of which engage the main cam grade 6a, pass therefrom the long butts will engage the switch cam III, which will produce a continuation of the main knitting wave and cause said needles to cast their previously held stitches,

and thereby bring the projections 26 of the adjacent sinkers over the main thread, as shown in Fig. 14.

The needles controlled by the short butts will upper cylinder, the particular formation of the top forming no part of my present invention.

Upon completion of the top portion, the needles will be transferred as required to produce the rib knit leg portion 3|. Thus, for a 6 x 3 leg, groups of three needles in the upper cylinder will alternate with groups of six needles in the lower cylinder. The switch cam III on the left side of the main drawn down cam (Fig. 5) will be placed in its innermost position, so that all of the needles of the lower cylinder will receive the main knitting thread only, pass down the main knittin wave, continue down the switch cam l0, and cast off their previously formed stitches at the conclusion of the main knitting wave W, as augmented by the switch cam III, the needles of the upper cylinder forming-the inwardly extendin wales of the fabric, in the usual manner.

This form of knitting will proceed down to the point indicated by the dotted line 39, 39, which indicates the upper edge of the high splice portion 33 at the rear of the leg. Beginning at this point, if it is desired to provide the high splice portion 33 with a terry lining, the transfer cams with which the machine is ordinarily provided, operating-in their usual manner, are adjusted by the pattern mechanism of the machine so as to transfer all of the needles controlled by the short knitting butts which are in the upper cylinder, to the lower cylinder. The short butt needles which, during the knitting of the leg have produced rib knit fabric, will now produce terry fabric. The arrangement of the needles for prcducing the high splice land the corresponding portion of the instep is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11 wherein it will be seen that the needles on one side of the needle cylinder, i. e., the short Q in the direction of the arrows, Figs, 12 and 13,

rise, following the elevating cam grade 8a, and

adjacent to their highest point they receive the terry thread, indicated at t, after which they encounter the adjacent auxiliary draw down cam 9, following down the secondary knitting wave, in-

dicated at W in Fig. 10. As the needles controlled by the short butts descend through the secondary knitting wave, a loop of terry thread will be drawn over the concave surface of the auxiliary butt needles are all positioned in the lower cylinder to produce the terry fabric of the high splice while the needles on the other side of the needle cylinder are arranged with selected needles in the upper cylinder andthe remaining needles in the lower cylinder to produce the rib knitting of the instep. This needle arrangement is also illustratedin Fig. 10 wherein the needles producing terry fabric are represented at the right hand side of the figure while needles producing rib fabric appear at the left. Thus, dur-.

ing the knitting of the high splice the machine produces both the terry fabric of the high splice and the rib knit fabric of the instep. To accomplish this, the switch cam III at the left in Fig. 5.

is withdrawn to its intermediate position so as to engage only the long knitting butts, while the short knitting butts pass upward over the auxilshoulders '21 of the adjacent sinkers, as clearly shown in Fig. 15, the previously formed stitch will be cast oil, leaving in the hooks of the needles a normal stitch of the main thread. m,- and the loop or stitch of the terry thread't, havingthe longer sinker loop t, as clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 17. To produce a stocking such. as that shown in Fig. l, the method of knitting will preferably be 75 iary elevating cam 8, without casting oil. the stitches of the previous course, and receive the terry thread t, from the appropriate auxiliary feed finger l6, drawing a longer sinker loop as 'the short butts are drawn down the auxiliary knitting wave W in the manner previously described, until the last short butt needle has cast off, when the'finger I8 is moved to its inoperative position and the terry thread is clamped and severed by a clamp and cutter 29, one of which is provided at each side of the cam-block 5, as shown in Fig.,3. As the knitting proceeds, the long butt needlea'part of which are in the upper cylpoint indicated'by the dotted line 4040 Fig. l

is reached, where the heel is to be knit. The heel is produced by reciprocatingwork onthe short butt needles and narrowing and widening, in the usual manner, while the long butt needles hold their stitches. During the knitting of the heel,

the respective switch cams ill and their adjacent auxiliary thread feed fingers l6 and II are alternately brought into operation so as to feed a terry thread by one or other of said 'feed fingers i6 and I1 according to the direction of movement of the cylinder in each course ofthe heel, each of the terry threads being cut'and bound by one or other of the cutting and binding mechanisms 29, at the end of the course. This produces a full terry-lining on the inner face of the heel pocket, with terry loops at all the stitches of each course, a most desirable feature of my invention.

When the heel is completed, circular knitting is resumed in the same manner as in knitting the high splice portion of the leg, the long butt needies producing 6 x 3 rib on the top of the foot. and the short butt needles producing plain knitting with the main and terry threads in each course of the sole of the foot, the terry thread being cut and bound in each course, as previously described, by one of the cutting and binding mechanisms 29, and being reintroduced after the knitting of the 6 x 3 rib stitches in each course. When the point indicated by the dotted line li-li is reached, just before'the toe pocket, it

is desirable to knit a numberof complete courses forming what is generally referred to as the toe band by plain knitting. At this point the transfer mechanism of the Komet .machine is actuated to transfer the remaining long butt needles from the upper cylinderto the lower cylinder, so

as to knit continuous courses of plain knitting,-

rality of courses of plain knitting with the main knitting thread only, say about twelve courses, to be knit before beginning the top of the next sock or stocking. After the stocking is separated from the succeeding stocking, by severing through these circular courses of plain knitting (or by the use of a pull thread in the usual manner) the remaining plain courses at the toe Joining are raveled back one or two of said course's, being preferably left to facilitate the joining of the top of the foot and toe in the usual manner by looping. These courses of plain knitting at the toe joining are indicated between the dotted lines 38 and II in Fig. 1.

The stocking may now be turned inside out and the terry sinker loops of the high splice. heel, sole, toe band and toe may be brushed or combed in a .well known way to produce a soft, matted fibre lining for those portions of the stocking, sock or anklet.

I wish it also to be understood that my inven tion may be carried outto produce the stockings hereinbeforedescribed on a split foot machine, which makes the entire foot of the stocking by reciprocating work in a well known way. In such case it will be desirable to .withdraw the terry yarnbei'ore the suture seam is reached at each reciprocation during the formation of the foot, as the main knitting yarns in both the instep and sole would be-fed to the hooks of thesuture Jneedles which could not ordinarily accommodate the terry yarn in addition thereto. This could readily be accomplished "by adjusting the pattern mechanism so as to withdraw the terry thread feed finger ii -operation at the properpoint in the course and the introduction of i the terry thread in the next reciprocating course and the switch cam ill, at left in Fig. 5, which is operating in connection with the short butt needles, is actuated by the pattern mechanism so as to withdraw it to its inoperative position, thus causing-all of the circular series, both long and short butt needleato be elevated by the adjacent auxiliary cam -8 without casting oil. the stitches v ofthe preceding course, to enable them each to receive the terry thread and to be drawn down the auxiliary knitting wave W", as before 'described, so as to form a plurality of complete circular courses of stitches of the main knitting thread and the terry thread, and produce the toe band, indicated at 38 in Fig. 1, extending entirely around the foot with the terry lining, as therein shown. The knittingin this manner continues until the point indicated by the dotted line 42-42 is reached.

The toe pocket indicated at 21 in Fig. 1 is then knit in the same manner as hereinbefore described with reference to the heel pocket by reciprocating work, the needles having the long butts holding the stitches of the last course of the top of the foot. When the toe pocket is comin the opposite direction, either by a separate terry thread feed finger, as shown herein, or by a shifting of a single terry thread finger to the opposite side of the main thread feed finger. as the overthrow of the yarn in its reciprocations would readily permit the same.

It will be understood that the main knitting thread may be of any desiredcharacter and of any desired nneness, and that the terry thread may be a coarser thread, and preferably of a character which will facilitate the combing of the terry sinker loops. as hereinbefore described. for the production of a matted surface of combed fibres, although in some instance the-combing of the terry sinker loops may be omitted if found desirable.

pleted, circular knitting will be resumed and the switch cam l0, at the left in Fig. 5 is moved inwardly to its innermostposition to enable a plu- It will be understood that the cam block shown in Figs. 2. 3 and 5' may be raised and lowered as usual in knitting machines, and as ordinarily constructed in the Komet machine, for the purpose of regulating the size of the stitch loops formed by the main knitting thread. In Fig. 2 for example, there is shown a lever Ill pivoted on a stud II and engaging a pin 52 for depressing the cam block I, the cam block being normally held in its highest position by means of a spring 52. Where the terry loops are formed, it will be desirable toincrease the size of the stitches in thatportion ofthe fabric-containing the terry loops without interfering with the size of the stitches of the other portions of the stocking. as the front of the leg and instep or top of the foot. To this end I have shown a second stitch regulating lever 54, which may also be mounted on the stud II in position to engage the pin I2 and v operated under the control of the pattern mecha nism (not herein shown) for depressing the cam block during that portion of the revolution of the cylinder during which the terry stitches are formed, and thereby increasing the size of the loops of main knitting thread and regulating the size of. the terry loops in conformity therewith, so that the production of the terry lining within such portions of the fabric will not decrease the interior diameter of the sock, anklet or stocking. In fact, it is desirable that such portions of the sock, anklet or stocking should be, if anything, more roomy than the other portions. Thusit will be seen that during the knitting of the high splice, the heel, the sole and toe, the lever 54 will be operated to depress the camblock during the operation of the short butt needles, so as to make those portions of the sock with larger stitches, while the spring 53 will return the block to its normal position during the knitting with the long butt needles. the size of the stitches formed thereby remaining unchanged. Of course where the toe band 36 is knit the cam block will be held depressed during the entire revolution of the cylinder, and the operation -'of both the long and short butt needles in order to increase a the size of the main and terry loops throughout needles" and to short butt needles, these expressions apply to needles provided respectively with long or short knitting butts, or needles controlled by jacks or sliders having long or short knitting butts, according to the type of knitting machine by which my present invention is carried out.

While I prefer to provide on each side of the main knitting cam 8, a switch cam Ill in connection with the elevating cam 8, and auxiliary draw down cam I, as shown in Fig. 5, the switch cam III, at the right in Fig. 5, might be omitted in some instances where only the short butt needles could possibly be engaged by the auxiliary elevating cam 8 at that side. I prefer, however, to construct the cam mechanism as shown in Fig. 5, as its use would be essentialif the over movement of the cylinder in reciprocating knitting, for example, was sufficient to bring the long butt needles into position where they would otherwise engage the adjacent elevating cam at and outwardly facing stitches and an integral soleportion comprising thread knit to form the base of the fabric and additional thread forming terry loops providing a soft cushioning surface for said sole portion.

2.--An,article of hosiery comprising leg and instep portions formed of rib knit fabric and an integral sole portionformed oi plain knit terry fabric. I

3. An article of hosiery comprising thread knit to form rib knit leg and instep portions and an integral plain knit sole portion and additional thread knit in plating relation with the thread of said sole portion and forming terry loops.

4. An article of hosiery comprising leg and instep portions formed of rib knit fabric and heel, sole and toe portions" formed of terry fabric with terry loops in consecutive courses throughout said terry portion.

5. An article of hosiery comprising leg and instep portions formed of rib knit fabric and integral heel, toe and sole portions formed of terry fabric having terry loops formed by thread knit at consecutive wales in consecutive courses throughout said terry portion.

6. An article of hosiery comprising leg and instep portions of rib knit fabric and ,an integral sole'portion of terry fabric having larger stitch loops than the fabric of the leg and instep portion.

7. An article of hosiery having a tubular seamless portion formed of terryfabric throughout part of its circumference and of rib knit fabric throughout another part of its circumference.

PAUL L. THURSTON. 

